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Members are invited to the AGM and points awards which will take place in the offices of Horse Sport Ireland on Friday 9th February at 7pm. Please RSVP to sidesaddleireland@gmail.com by 2nd February so that we may arrange refreshments etc.

We will be visiting the Munny Trail in Co. Wicklow for a 12 mile side saddle trek with lots of cross country jumping on Saturday 14th May 2016 followed by an over night stay in glamping accommodation on site. Stabling and paddocks are available for horse accommodation! Pricing and further details will be updated soon. Please see our facebook page for further information.

The Annual General Meeting was held on Thursday 25th October 2012 even though the attendance did not break any records there was a great air of positivity and enthusiasm. It would appear that as long as the enthusiasm remains and events supported that there will be continuous occasions where members will be able to partake and enjoy ridding side saddle throughout the winter season.

The minutes from the 2011 AGM were read proposed and seconded. The Side Saddle association officers were all returned unopposed for 2013. Ciara Ryan ran into a hitch at the last moment and was not able to travel, but she had been sending me ideas for our agenda throughout the day all of which we covered along with a great deal more all of the topics covered were concluded on a positive note.

Ciara has stated that she is willing to organise more treks in Mount Juliet, then there is always Castle Leslie and there has to be a great deal of venues that would love to see elegant ladies hacking around Side Saddle, if members continue to come up with ideas and are willing to help the association are here to support as much as we can, sure isn’t, it all meant to be for enjoyment. Is that not the Aim of the Game!

There truly is tremendous enthusiasm about and it is through members that this will be kept afloat. Jennifer Torrance had already 11 confirmed for the weekend at the Glenamaddy Clinic where three of the UK’s top instructors are coming over.

Susan Oakes has done wonders to highlight what can be achieved while ridding side saddle including breaking the world high jump record at Aintree. Watch this space she is not finished yet. She completed a Point-to-Point in mid October. Apart form all else she plans on doing she along with the Meath Hunt are organising a day out with the Meath’s hunting Side Saddle already she has over 40 riders confirmed!! And these ladies are coming from as far as Canada, USA, Belgium, Sweden, Italy, Israel, France, UK and Ireland.

Philippa Mansergh Wallace informed us that she had been speaking with Johnnie Wragg who would love to take on the puissance wall in the RDS in 2013 along with Susan as a type of dual we all thought this a marvellous idea. Again watch this space, to keep up with progress.

There was a great deal more topics covered all with the same productive theme. Yes the year started in a very negative position, with very few members but there was not a person that left last nights meeting without having added one if not more constructive ideas to the table, a great feeling of optimism was created it was a very encouraging evening with a wonderful sense of positivity in the air. We have succeed and achieved a full turn, approaching the close of the year on a high and very positive note with a great deal of thanks going to all those who have helped us tremendously thought-out the season. I was able to down my tools for over three weeks and leave the control of administration in the capable hands of Suzanne and Amie Garrigan who took up the reins knowing that Adrienne Traynor was manning the website and the Our chairwoman Gina Galvin and Liz Sanford would organise the tuition at a very enjoyable day in Ardmulchan Where Susan Oakes brought her self and her wonderful horses to introduce new ladies to the art of riding Side Saddle at the ‘Give it A Go Day’.

So if we can just bottle the enthusiasm and maintain the pulsating rhythm the entire country will be afloat with elegant ladies ridding Sideways!!!

Following the AGM the Annual Awards were handed out Side Saddle Annual Points Awards 2012